EY Foundation has ambitions to grow in 2019 amidst new appointments

The EY Foundation, a charity for young people, has made some new appointments reflecting its commitment to growing its impact.

The charity was started to help young people follow their life ambitions even if they face barriers to work by supporting them to move into employment or set up their own business.

Nafisa Bakker, CEO of media company amaliah.com, has come on board with the charity as a trustee and investment consultant. Dawid Konotey-Ahulu, co-founder of two investment companies, Redington and mallowstreet, is joining the EY Foundation as a patron.

The two new joiners bring quite different but equally important value to the EY Foundation. Bakker is the voice of young people, coming on board with an empathy for those starting out in their career.

Konotey-Ahulu has extensive experience of working in the City, and can therefore help the charity with their future aims of working a lot more closely with a range of businesses.

These new hires are part of the charity’s ambitions to grow in the future and increase its impact by recruiting the best talent.

Bakker said: “The younger me would have greatly appreciated the work that the EY Foundation do. I am passionate about helping to mobilise young people and unlock their potential, regardless of their socio-economic background. It is a great honour to be a part of a charity that truly impacts the lives of thousands of young people.”

The Foundation was set up by Big Four firm EY, but is now independent and proud to work with other businesses as well. The charity’s mission is centred around teaching young people soft skills to help them get into work.

It runs a number of educational programs round the UK, keen to reach as many young people as they can.

In fact they have steep growth ambitions for the future. This year, their work benefited 1,500 young people. In the next three to four years, they hope to increase this to 10,000 young people a year.

They also offer paid-for work experience, to ensure everyone has a chance to complete placements which will help them network and gain relevant experience. The work experience is often undertaken with a view to being employed afterwards.

Since the Foundation is now a separate organisation in itself, it still works closely with EY but also connects with many other businesses.

This is partly why Konotey-Ahulu’s appointment is so vital. With his expansive experience working in the City, he is able to bring connections and introductions to the Foundation.

Konotey-Ahulu qualified as a barrister of Lincoln’s Inn in 1987 before spending 16 years as an investment banker. Then in 2006 he set up his own business, Redington, a City firm advising institutional pension funds and insurance companies. Three years later, he also founded mallowstreet, now the established specialist online community for the UK pensions and savings industry.

The new patron spoke about joining the Foundation: “Someone has said, “Every child needs, in their life, at least one adult who is irrationally crazy about them”.  I really believe that. Ensuring young people from all backgrounds can achieve their potential and succeed in the workplace is a subject close to my heart.

“I can’t wait to get started as a patron for the EY foundation and use my business experience to help them show young people what they are really capable of achieving.”

Chair of the EY Foundation, Patrick Dunne, said: “I am delighted to welcome Nafisa and Dawid to the EY Foundation. They join an already diverse group of trustees and patrons and their range of experience and skills, spanning communication, cultural change and business will be provide a further boost as we move into our next exciting phase of growth.”